Prepping for grass seed

[dxturner]

I have about two acres of red dirt around my home that was scraped bare to build up a pad for the house. I would like to plant some native grass seed sometime next month. I don't plan on doing a lot of plowing and planting so thought I would just rent an implement from a nearby Kubota dealer. I have a Kioti DK4210SE. The question is, what type of implement should I use?

I have asked several individuals and gotten an equal number of answers - from discs to "heavy harrow" to rotary tiller to reverse rotary tiller. Thought this would be a good place to ask to get opinions.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I have about two acres of red dirt around my home that was scraped bare to build up a pad for the house. I would like to plant some native grass seed sometime next month. I don't plan on doing a lot of plowing and planting so thought I would just rent an implement from a nearby Kubota dealer. I have a Kioti DK4210SE. The question is, what type of implement should I use?

I have asked several individuals and gotten an equal number of answers - from discs to "heavy harrow" to rotary tiller to reverse rotary tiller. Thought this would be a good place to ask to get opinions.

Thanks for your time.

View attachment 851189

If its small seed like bahia seed, I would take a pine straw rake or something of that nature just to rough up the dirt a little , mix my seed in with some builder sand in a 3 point hitch spreader and after spreading I would roll it in with a cultipacker or roller, if no access to either of those I would take a small piece of chain link fence and drag it in and I would follow up with some hay or straw on those inclines to keep it from washing so bad till my grass got established. Good luck.

 

[scootr]

It looks like they may have scraped soil off of the bare area to build up the house pad. IF that is the case there is no topsoil left and the seed may fail.

 

[super55]

Soil looks pretty smooth and already well prepped but looks can be deceiving. 1st I would take a shovel and just see how hard the soil actually is. If you can't penetrate it with a shovel seed don't have much of a chance. If you can then things get a lot easier.

Native grass seeds usually have a maximum planting depth of about a 1/4" so if the seed can penetrate there's not much work involved. I would find a seed blend you like for the acreage you have and then find or rent a hydroseeder. Years ago I did landscaping and always had amazing results with one and since warm season native grasses are typically fluffy they do not do well in broadcasting.

For the cost of native warm season grasses its worth paying a little extra to get it hydroseeded.

 

[EddieWalker]

Mother Nature just spreads the seed in the wind. Once Seeds hit the ground, they like to stay there. If you do nothing, grass will start growing there on it's own.

Depending on the type of seed you are planting, there are ideal times in the year to plant, and other times when it's not such a great idea. For me, Bermuda Grass is the best for making hay and feeding livestock. It also makes a really nice lawn. It spreads by runners, but starts from seed. The seed has a hull on it that rots off over time. Once the hull falls off, the seed is ready to germinate. This is all times naturally to happen in late Spring when temps are in the 80's and warmer.

If I'm going to spread seed before it's warm enough, I buy Bermuda with the hull. If I want to spread seed in Spring through Summer, I'm buying Bermuda that has had the hull removed. Once the hulled Bermuda is planted in the Spring, it will sprout in a week if watered every day.

Be careful of comments about topsoil. In a lot of areas there is no such thing as topsoil. We got clay, and that's all we have. Clay is full of nutrients, and it's great for growing grass in my area of East Texas.

Once established, you can take soil samples to see what your soil needs to grow your grass better. You mail in the sample, they mail you back their findings and then you buys what you need to improve your soil. It takes about six months for it to do anything, and it's not uncommon for it to take 5 years to get your soil where you want it if it's really bad for what you're growing.

 

[super55]

Hopefully the OP can reply soon to what they are defining as native grass.

When I hear native grass I'm thinking indiangrass, big and little bluestem and switchgrass. But these are prairie grasses you typically wouldn't want them in your lawn unless you were not planning on not cutting and you wanted pheasants to visit your bird feeder.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Soil samples would be nice but if not no big deal, don’t till, it will fluff the soil too much, you need a good soil to seed contact, if you walk on the ground and your boots sink it’s too soft, just spreed your seed and fertilizer then roll it and that’s it … I wouldn’t drag it afterwards ether it drags and concentrate the seeds where you will turn.

 

[D&D]

If the dealer has one, an overseeder is pretty nice for this. it cuts the soil, places the seed and rolls/crimps it in one pass. A soil sample would tell a lot too.

 

[Piston]

A 'Power Rake' (sometimes called 'Harley Rake') is meant specifically for this purpose. You should be able to rent one from the dealer, and would only need a few hours judging by the pic.

This was a section of uncleared woods/brush that I knocked the trees down in and ran the power rake over it 3 times. Once one direction, once perpendicular to the first, and once diagonal.

 

[Streetcar]

Where are you located. Different areas have different correct answers.
check with local extension agent if you have one